Ene Pars started working as a textile artist in the early 1980s. The beginning of the artist's creative path is marked by a brightly colored knitted glove with a national tissue note - a monumental knit "Mulgi Finger" (1982) measuring 230x100 cm. Against the background of general stagnation, the game with national patterns on a trivial object the size of a survival was more than a fresh wind. The work attracted immediate attention and received a award at the Young People's Art Exhibition in Riga in 1983.
Building on centuries-old textile traditions, Ene Pars has developed her own unique style, which illustrates all the coverings and tapestries that use national patterns. The beginning of the "Estonian Stripecode" collection goes back to 2005.
Ene Pars is a face-to-face artist who creates textile works that are suitable for all kind of carpets in various interiors.
The strip and square rugs of Ene Pars are not woven on the looms, but are made of linen cloth strips sewn together as patchwork and duplicated on the undercoat. Ene Pars has achieved an interesting effect with her personal technique for over thirty years – at first it looks as if it has been woven. Emphasizing the association of stripes with a specific region of Estonia, he has also embroidered the names of parishes on his stripes. All works by Ene Parsi are authentic in color, the stripe has been increased several times. This is how these works look like modern interior textiles. In 2007, Ene Pars was awarded the Estonian Textile Artist's Union Special Award for developing patchwork to the designer level.
Ene Pars has received a number of official recognition – the Estonian Textile Artists Association Textile Artist of the Year 2010; Annual Prize of the Estonian Cultural Endowment for Folk Culture, 2008; Estonian Textile Artists Association and Gallery Lühike Jalg Award, 2007 and 1999.
The stripe and square are the oldest shapes woven into the fabric, known to almost all nations of the world. The pattern of stripes has been most common in national costumes. Estonian folk art has a number of centuries-old textile traditions: carpets, blankets and scarfs in women's clothing. One of the most well-known forms of expression in our folk art is definitely a striped skirt, which has been the first in the field of women's crafts. The stripes of the skirt determined the parish of Estonia the bearer was from.
Merike Alber
Edited by Kaire TaliThe exhibition is supported by the Estonian Cultural Endowment.